This invention relates generally to the processing of incoming telephone calls and is particularly directed to automatically directing incoming calls from selected calling numbers to call waiting, while directing calls from non-selected calling numbers to alternate call treatment, such as to voice mail or a forwarding number.
Automatic telephone call processing has gained widespread acceptance for accomplishing a wide variety of functions. One common application known as call waiting alerts a subscriber engaged in a telephone call to a second incoming call and permits this subscriber to interrupt the first call and respond to the second caller. Another current popular feature known as caller xe2x80x9cIDxe2x80x9d, i.e., identification, informs the incoming call subscriber of the identity of the incoming call originator by displaying either the telephone number or other identifying indicia of the caller. Current systems are not selective in their approach, i.e., for a subscriber with these two features, all incoming calls are routed to the call waiting and caller ID functions. Current systems do not allow for the selective routing of incoming telephone calls based upon the identity of the caller.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing dynamic call waiting based upon the caller""s ID which permits a subscriber to route selected incoming calls to call waiting, while permitting nonselected incoming calls to undergo alternative call treatment, e.g. route to voice mail, call forwarding to another number or call back.
The present invention employs dynamic call waiting based on the caller""s ID, permitting a called subscriber to route incoming call to call waiting based upon the ID information of the calling party. The telephone number, or other selected caller ID indicia, is stored by the subscriber in a Calling Number Data Base (CNDB). This information is entered by the subscriber either via a keypad or by voice which undergoes speech-to-text conversion. Receipt of an incoming call initiates comparison of the calling party""s caller ID information, such as the incoming call telephone number or other caller identifying indicia, with the selected caller data stored in the CNDB. The presence of incoming caller indicia in the CNDB automatically routes the incoming call to call waiting to permit the called subscriber to immediately respond to the incoming call. If the incoming caller indicia is not stored in the CNDB, the incoming call undergoes default or alternative call treatment, such as voice mail, routing to a designated forwarding number, or call back. Dynamic call waiting based on the caller""s ID is carried out under the control of a microprocessor located either in a subscriber""s caller ID unit or at a telephone network processing center. Text-to-speech conversion may also be applied for providing the called subscriber with an audio indication of the caller""s ID. An activation code may be used by the subscriber for storing selected calling party numbers, or other identifying information, in the CNDB. Selected calling numbers may be stored in, reviewed, updated or deleted from the CNDB by appropriate coded inputs to the subscriber""s keypad or by predetermined voice inputs.